The Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) , has called on all sons and daughters of the communities to rally support for the Minister of Environment, Barr. Abdullahi H. Mohammed and the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr. Ferdinand Giadom to deliver the Ogoni cleanup project in record time.
The Ogoni Youth Federation, (OYF) is an umbrella body of all Ogoni Youths and youths organisations operating in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
According to a statement signed by Comrade Legborsi Yamaabana,President-General,Ogoni Youth Federation, on Thursday, 22nd September, 2022, commended the duo for their outstanding performances recorded so far in the project.
Yamabaana pointed out that the decision to applaud the duo was due to the ongoing linking of Ogoniland to the national grid, building of specialist hospital.
Similarly, he said other areas as deserved commendations include, unparalleled commitment and resolve to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project and overhaul of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to meet up timelines set for delivery of the project.
OYF boss called on the general public to discountenance insinuations from rumour mongers and jobbers, who are hell-bent of tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of the Honourable Minister of Environment by accusing him of contract hijack among other things and claiming that Ogoni youths are planning to carry out a protest at HYPREP office and other strategic locations in Ogoniland.
“This is a pathological lie that should be jettisoned in its entirety and let it be known that as at today, Ogoni Youths are happy with the way, manner and direction in which the Honourable Minister of Environment and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP are steering the ship of the clean-up project.
“Whilst we are not holding brief for HYPREP or Ministry of Environment, for the records we wish to state that credible information available to us reveals that certain individuals, disparaging the Honourable Minister of State for Environment and disgusing as though they are fighting for the interest of Ogoni, are not fighting the Ogoni cause but are those who collected money from unsuspecting firms and promised to use the name of Ogoni to secure them HYPREP contracts in return.
The President General also warned rumour mongers , blackmailers and jobbers to desist from from any form of unholy act or risk their names being mentioned to the general public.
“However, when the firms they took money from started requesting for refund, and when the perpetrators noticed that the Honourable Minister for Environment is a man of due process who can not be bullied and who is not ready to cut corners nor award contracts to portfolio carrying firms, they became rattled and purportedly passed a vote of no confidence on him as a strategy to blackmail the minister and get what they want.
“This is laughable and Ogoni youths are forced to question the nativity of these individuals, because this is not the attitude of the Ogonis.
“We advice these characters to go and refund monies collected from films, apologise to the Minister of Environment and desist from negative acts that tends to portray Ogoni Nation in bad light.
“May we also use this medium to warn them to desist from this unholy act or risk their names being mentioned.
“We call on all sons and daughters of Ogoni to rally round and support the Ministry of Environment and HYPREP to deliver the Ogoni cleanup project in record time.”Yamaabana stated .
